FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI.
29
seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my brethren; and they were gathered together to battle. And the angel spake unto me, saying, behold the foun- tain of filthy water which thy father saw ; yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell : and the mists of darkness are the tempta- tions of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they may perish, and are lost; and the large and spacious building which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and forever. And while the angel spake these words, I beheld and saw that the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, according to the word of the angel ; and because of the pride of my seed, and the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my brethren did overpower the people of my seed. And it came to pass that I beheld and saw the people of the seed of my brethren, that they had overcome my seed, and they went forth in multitudes upon the face of the land. And I saw them gathered together in multitudes; and I saw wars and rumors of wars among them ; and in wars, and rumors of wars, I saw many generations pass away. And the angel said unto me, behold, these shall dwindle in unbelief.
And it came to pass, that I beheld after they had dwin- dled in unbelief, they became a dark and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abomina- tions.
And it came to pass that he angel spake unto me say- ing, look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms. And the angel said unto me, what beholdest thou? And I said I behold many nations and kingdoms. And he said unto me, these are the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles.
And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the foundation of a great church. And the angel said unto me, behold the foundation of a church, which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.
3*
